What the Water?!

Let’s talk about (our favorite subject) the one thing on Earth so precious to our planet that all living organisms need it in order to survive. It covers 70% of our planet’s surface and is the reason Earth is the only known inhabited planet in the universe: Water.

We all have a general understanding and appreciation that water is important – for instance, “don’t waste water” has been ingrained into most of our brains since childhood, and like most people, you probably remember to turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth and possibly even time your showers in the spirit of conservation. But, as indispensable as water is to all of us, how much do we really pay attention to it, especially in the type we drink?

For most of us, water is easy to take for granted. When we’re thirsty, we never have to go far to find accessible water to drink – a water fountain, the tap, the convenience or grocery store for bottled water. Of course, between those three options, there’s definitely an automatic preference that bottled water is the best option.

Which is true on a basic level. We generally assume that bottled water has been purified, or believe it’s been sourced from a natural spring, and that it’s cleaner and safer than drinking from the tap or a public water fountain; But not all bottled water is created equal, comes from the same place, is treated the same way, or has the same things in it.

[1] Per Wikipedia, bottled water is defined as (a) drinking water packaged in plastic or glass bottles; (b) may or may not be carbonated; and (c) comes in various sizes. From that, all we can really say is that it comes in a bottle, sold in different sizes, and potentially carbonated, or sparkling.

[2] The FDA defines bottled water as “water that is intended for human consumption and that is sealed in bottles or other containers with no added ingredients except that it may optionally contain safe and suitable antimicrobial agents.”

[3] Taken from the EPA website, below are categorical terms that define the different types of drinking water available to us in bottled form:

Ø Artesian water, ground water, spring water, well water – water from an underground aquifer which may or may not be treated. Well water and artesian water are tapped through a well. Spring water is collected as it flows to the surface or via a bore-hole. Ground water can be either.

Ø Distilled water – steam from boiling water is re-condensed and bottled. Distilling water kills microbes and removes water’s natural minerals, giving it a flat taste.

Ø Drinking water – water intended for human consumption and sealed in bottles or other containers with no ingredients except that it may optionally contain safe and suitable disinfectants. Fluoride may be added within limitations set in the bottled water quality standards.

Ø Mineral water – ground water that naturally contains 250 or more parts per million of total dissolved solids.

Ø Purified water – water that originates from any source but has been treated to meet the U.S. Pharmacopeia definition of purified water. Purified water is essentially free of all chemicals (it must not contain more than 10 parts per million of total dissolved solids), and may also be free of microbes if treated by distillation or reverse osmosis. Purified water may alternatively be labeled according to how it is treated

Ø Sterile water – water that originates from any source, but has been treated to meet the U.S. Pharmacopeia standards for sterilization. Sterilized water is free from all microbes

Note: Carbonated water, soda water, seltzer water, sparkling water, and tonic water are considered soft drinks and are not regulated as bottled water

Taken from the same source, listed below are common ways in which water is treated prior to bottling:

Ø Distillation – water is boiled, and the steam is condensed to remove salts, metals, minerals, asbestos, particles, and some organic materials

Ø Micron Filtration – water is filtered through screens with microscopic holes. The smaller the filter holes, the more contaminants the filter can remove. Good filters can remove most chemical contaminants and microbes. Filter holes are measured in microns.

Ø Ozonation – water is disinfected using ozone, which kills most microbes, depending on dosage applied.

Ø Reverse Osmosis – water is forced under pressure to pass through a membrane, leaving contaminants behind. This process removes all microbes, minerals, color, turbidity, organic and inorganic chemicals.

Ø Ultraviolet (UV) light – water is passed through UV light, which kills most microbes, depending on dosage applied.

Well folks, that’s all for this week. Thank you for tuning in and I hope you learned a little bit about drinking water.

EARTHWATER – Locally sourced from a natural Texas spring, purified (treated via reverse osmosis and UV light), and Alkalized by the Infusion of 70+ naturally occurring trace minerals (FULVIC/HUMIC) that are essential to your health and optimal wellbeing. You can find all of our products on Amazon.com/fulhum.